# I'm sorry I don't speak French, only English, could you help me? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177 "2017-11-30T19:51:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/21 "2017-11-30T21:17:36Z")
My encounters with French speakers in Canada and England were easily handled by saying “I’m an American”. Their ability to understand and speak English was magically enhanced. In one case I was told it was OK because English is what Americans speak, in other cases I get the feeling they stooped to using English because they thought Americans were too stupid to understand anything else. Doesn’t matter to me, it worked. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/22 "2017-11-30T21:19:13Z")
Let’s face it, when ordering dinner in French, you really do need to learn how to say “un Royal avec du fromage.” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/23 "2017-11-30T22:15:38Z")
If you are bilingual then I assume you are bilingual for a purpose. The only reason you wouldn’t use that additional capability is to be an arsehole. I’ve come across it in Belgium quite a few times. Speaking french in a flemish area can get you a total blank look even thought they understand you perfectly and speak french fluently. Of course, if you only speak one language and you meet someone who only speaks one different language then you are both on a level playing field and are reduced to talking loudly and hand-gestures. [This seems relevant here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxUm-2x-2dM) ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/24 "2017-11-30T22:24:59Z")
I don’t find the people in my area (Montreal, Quebec) rude. Though I do speak French. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/25 "2017-11-30T22:32:38Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > What is your tactic with dealing with French snobbery? I’m sorry, I must be humour-impaired. Could you please explain why this is a funny thing to say? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/26 "2017-11-30T23:14:38Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Sorry, but this is complete contrary to my experience. I’ve had many halting conversations in my pretty bad French both in Quebec and France. No one has ever expressed any problems with it, and they seemed happy to help me. A few switched to English without any issues when I was having too much trouble. > > Perhaps your attitude is the problem, not your English? Same here. I’ve traveled to France for business and pleasure more times than I can remember and never had a problem whether I spoke mostly English or after I learned passable French. In many cases, when I would start in with French, the local person would interrupt me to say “I speak English”. I guess that could be considered snobbery, as Parisians are pretty partial to their brand of the language, whereas my training was Francophone (West Africa), and perhaps it was painful to their ears. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/27 "2017-11-30T23:22:45Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Let’s face it, when ordering dinner in French, you really do need to learn how to say “un Royal avec du fromage.” :o I took French in high school and retained bits of it. Somewhere near the border coming back from Montréal I was trying to order McDonald’s in French for my veggie friend. “Un numéro un avec…pas de viand…” :smack: duh\*\* gigi\*\*, “sans viand” I thought to myself miles later. Of course the counterperson was bilingue so I don’t know what I was thinking anyway! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/28 "2017-11-30T23:34:21Z")
I spent a lot of time in France and never had a problem. I tired to speak my rudimentary French, and when it didn’t work, the other person would usually switch to English or we would muddle along. I don’t know-- maybe I was being looked down upon and didn’t notice. I would often lead off with “Pardon me, but I don’t speak French” (in French), and go from there. I’ve been to Canada quite a few times, but only for a few days in Quebec. In Montreal, everyone switched effortlessly back and forth between English and French. In Quebec City, it was a bit more difficult. I thought the people were pretty nice, but mostly I was just so amazed to that I could drive somewhere relatively close (we were living in Boston at the time) and feel like I was in Europe. We had a fantastic time! ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/29 "2017-11-30T23:38:36Z")
Quote them back a Latin phrase. _Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses_ might be appropriate. Sir Humphrey Appleby translated this as: “If you’d kept your mouth shut we might have thought you were clever.” ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/30 "2017-11-30T23:52:43Z")
I took two years and two weeks of French in high school around 45 years ago and have traveled to both Quebec and France on both business and pleasure and never had any trouble with any language snobbery. Really, most of my attempts to speak French end up sounding like English with a bad French accent. Think Inspector Clouseau. In French speaking countries I usually look for a hotel near the library, because after “où est la bibliothèque” I’ve pretty much shot my wad. I’ve been told that the Quebecois can be rude if they think you’re a native Anglo-Québécois who refuses to speak French, but once they realize you’re an American they think, “Bénisse votre cœur” and switch to English. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/31 "2017-12-01T00:15:50Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > I have encountered plenty of what I like to call French snobs, both in France and the French-English Canada provenience of Quebec. Also have been in Haiti though Creole has been declared it’s own language before I went there and never had the snob attitude that I have experienced with others. > > My current tactic is to get into my inner child, and when confronted with such bastards simply ask that above in a humble voice. Normally they respond well though not always. > > What is your tactic with dealing with French snobbery? Use American money, regardless of your nationality for guaranteed results. English will vary depending on location. When I visited the Dominican Republic, I bumped into a fellow Canadian, who hailed from Montreal, and I regaled him with the surprise that Taxi Drivers spoke English. His repose was that everyone in Montreal spoke English, where as I challenged him to find a cab driver in Toronto that speaks English. So yeah in Canada, know your location. Above a certain latitude you can expect French to be the dominant local language. Just hope the exchange rate is decent. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/32 "2017-12-01T00:45:19Z")
In the past four years, I’ve traveled in countries were at least 20 languages were spoken by the locals, from Japanese to Somali to Kyrgyz. In my life, probably well over 100. This whole conversation is basically irrelevant to the facts on the ground. If you are a passing visitor in a country where there is no realistic expectation that you know the local language, you look for one you have in common. If necessary, I can get by in Spanish, German or French, but it is rarely necessary. Travelers who are native speakers of Dutch or Swedish or Polish or Arabic or Russian know that wherever they go, their passable English will be good enough, because it is a language known to so many of the locals they will encounter, as well as virtually all other travelers. The fact that we already know English fluently is a gift, not something that imposes an additional burden on us. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/33 "2017-12-01T01:08:51Z")
Learning the language certainly helps, but in a pinch you can just purse your lips and make faux-French gibberish sounds while taking drags from invisible cigarettes. They _love_ that. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/34 "2017-12-01T01:09:19Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Possibly I have been taught better to apologize for not speaking French then attempting it. This is wrong, and therefore your problem should go away. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/35 "2017-12-01T02:41:51Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Wow you seem to be one of them (I intended this as more comic and not meaning it as a insult.) > > But really attempting French is a cultural no-no. Fluent french or be apologetic about it is what I have learned. Opposite in Spain, try a Spanish word and get it wrong and it will be so appreciated that will be invited to a fiesta later that evening (which to them means party starting at 11 PM) Rubbish. I got by fine in France with the French I learnt when I was 14. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/36 "2017-12-01T03:02:57Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I don’t find the people in my area (Montreal, Quebec) rude. Though I do speak French. As you well know, Montreal is unusual in that it’s extremely cosmopolitan and its residents almost universally bilingual, at least to some extent. Of course there jerks everywhere and nice people everywhere, but as a generalization you’re more likely to run into anti-English sentiment in Quebec outside Montreal. It exists to a degree in France, too, in both cases a combination of Gallic culture and linguistic pride with the somewhat substantiated fear that it’s all being impinged upon by the increasing dominance of English. This is especially true in Quebec where they view themselves as a besieged fortress in an English-dominated continent. Note that both Quebec and France have various governmental agencies set up for the protection of the French language, sort of the way that other places have child welfare agencies. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/37 "2017-12-01T03:16:10Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > I have encountered plenty of what I like to call French snobs, both in France and the French-English Canada provenience of Quebec. Also have been in Haiti though Creole has been declared it’s own language before I went there and never had the snob attitude that I have experienced with others. > > My current tactic is to get into my inner child, and when confronted with such bastards simply ask that above in a humble voice. Normally they respond well though not always. > > What is your tactic with dealing with French snobbery? Oh yeah, almost forgot. Throw in the word Tabernac every three or four words and yall be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/38 "2017-12-01T06:21:05Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > As you well know, Montreal is unusual in that it’s extremely cosmopolitan and its residents almost universally bilingual, at least to some extent. Of course there jerks everywhere and nice people everywhere, but as a generalization you’re more likely to run into anti-English sentiment in Quebec outside Montreal. That doesn’t match my experience at all. In Montreal, certainly in stores, they’re “switchers” - the moment they hear an anglo accent, they switch to English. But in Quebec City, they smiled encouragingly when they heard French with an anglo accent. Similar in France. I’ve never run into Québécois or French who would rather you speak English than English-accented French, as described by the OP. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/39 "2017-12-01T06:53:42Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > That doesn’t match my experience at all. In Montreal, certainly in stores, they’re “switchers” - the moment they hear an anglo accent, they switch to English. But in Quebec City, they smiled encouragingly when they heard French with an anglo accent. > > Similar in France. > > I’ve never run into Québécois or French who would rather you speak English than English-accented French, as described by the OP. Actually, I’m not sure what the OP was saying, other than “French are snobs”. I was really just agreeing with **EmilyG** that Montreal, being cosmopolitan and highly bilingual, tends to be relatively more accommodating of English speakers than elsewhere in Quebec. I don’t know about Quebec City personally but I imagine that being a major tourist destination, they are, too. I don’t know what you’re disagreeing with as I don’t see than anything you said is at odds with anything I said. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177/40 "2017-12-01T07:21:46Z")
you said that you’re more likely to run into anti-English sentiment outside Montreal. That’s not been my experience. I’ve never run into anti-English experience in Montreal, Quebec City or Baie Comeau. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sorry-i-dont-speak-french-only-english-could-you-help-me/803177.md?page=3)